Disney has provided an insight into the future of its theme parks, where robotic versions of its iconic characters could soon walk among guests.

    The entertainment firm discussed plans to embrace brand new technologies at SXSW 2017, where it also showed off footage of a robot Pascal, the lizard from "Tangled."

    As if the thought of an enormous, roaming robot Mickey Mouse wasn't disconcerting enough, Disney also confirmed that artificial intelligence will allow its robots to interact with people.

    "I think AI and machine learning is going to be very important for what we do," Jon Snoddy, Disney's senior vice president for research and development, told the BBC.

    "Things like characters that can move around among our guests. They're going to need to understand where they're going, have goals, and they're going to have to know how to navigate in a world with humans."

    However, the company is also aware of some of the fear surrounding AI, and Snoddy added that Disney will carry out tests to ensure its creations make a positive impression on fans.

    "Obviously we're not the business of scaring kids!" he continued. "That won't be part of what we deploy. We go and do tests in our parks to gauge the reaction and try and understand what kids find entertaining about these things."

    "We're not going to put up a sign that says 'Look! Artificial intelligence,' because no-one would come to see that. They really come to be moved emotionally, that will not change."

    A recent report found a number of security vulnerabilities in existing robots, and warned that criminals could exploit the flaws to gain control of them in homes and workplaces.

    "Hacked robots could start fires in a kitchen by tampering with electricity, or potentially poison family members and pets by mixing toxic substances with food or drinks," it read.

    "Family members and pets could be in further peril if a hacked robot was able to grab and manipulate sharp objects."

    Words to Learn 相关词汇

    令人担忧的

    lìng rén dānyōu de

    disconcerting

    upsetting, discomfiting

    漏洞

    lòudòng

    vulnerability

    being open to assault or difficult to defend

    迪斯尼主题公园将推出AI米老鼠

    迪斯尼公布了他们对主题公园的设想——机器人版的经典卡通形象可能不久后将在游客中穿梭。

    该娱乐公司在2017年西南偏南音乐盛典上表示将计划引进全新的技术。他们还在现场展示了一台机器人帕斯卡（《长发公主》中的宠物蜥蜴）的视频影像。

    似乎觉得想像一个巨大的米老鼠机器人穿行在游客中间还不够令人心慌，迪斯尼还确认人工智能技术将让机器人与游客交流互动。

    “我认为人工智能和机器学习对我们的工作会有重要帮助，”迪斯尼研发部高级副总裁乔恩?斯诺迪告诉英国广播公司。

    “比如，如果让卡通形象在游客周围活动，那么它们就需要知道自己要去哪里，要有目标，并且它们还需要知道如何在行人中穿行。”

    然而，迪斯尼公司也意识到了有些人对于人工智能的恐惧。斯诺迪还表示，迪斯尼会进行检测，以确保机器人给游客们留下好印象。

    他还说，“很显然，我们不想吓唬孩子。这不是我们要做的。我们会在园区内进行一系列测试评估游客的反响，并尝试理解孩子们对机器人的兴趣点。”

    “我们到时候不会张贴一个标志，写着“看！这是人工智能”，因为不会有人来看这个。游客们来这里是为了寻找感动，这一点永远也不会变。”

    最近报道发现，现有的机器人存在很多安全隐患，并且警告称，犯罪分子可能会利用技术漏洞控制家用或工作用机器人。

    报道称，“受到黑客攻击的机器人可能会乱用电器使厨房起火，或者在食物和饮品中混入有毒物质，从而毒害家庭成员和宠物。”

    “如果受黑客攻击的机器人能够接触到并操纵利器，家庭成员和宠物还有可能面临更多危险。”